Ken Navarro Scores Second #1 Hit From ‘Dreaming of Trains’
July 10, 2010 – Having one hit reach the top spot on any chart is a worthy accomplishment but Ken Navarro has done that and more with his latest album ‘Dreaming of Trains.’ The guitarist’s second single, ‘The Buzz,’ his follow up to ‘The Stars, The Snow, The Fire’ has also reached the No. 1 spot on the Smooth Jazz TOP 30 Countdown. ‘The Stars, The Snow, The Fire’ topped the chart on February 6th and stayed in that spot for a whole month. “The Buzz’ is strong enough to be one of Ken’s true signature songs,” says Smooth Jazz Now Program Director and countdown host John Beaudin. As strong as the album is the tune certainly stood out on first listen and it’s fitting that it reached the top spot considering how much of Ken’s music we play on Smooth Jazz Now,” says Beaudin.

Balligomingo’s ‘Spinning,’ which was No.1 for two weeks dropped down to the No. 3 spot this week.

The fastest rising song on the countdown, based on audience reaction was Bob Baldwin’s remake of ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ from his Michael Jackson tribute album of the same name. More

Ken Navarro Leaves Smooth Jazz Now to Concentrate on his Music
May 1, 2010 – After 7 months of hosting the “Drive Time” slot on Smooth Jazz Now Ken Navarro has decided to go back to his music career full time. “It became increasingly harder for Ken to continue putting so much work on his radio show.” John Beaudin, Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now said, “Ken was one of the first people to join our staff and I was so pleased by the type of program he put together every day, he knows his stuff but the show prep he did everyday was amazing and that takes a lot of time.” Beaudin adds, “we were never sure how long Ken would be with us but it was a great ride and it really helped launch our station. Ken and I have been friends for years and I’m a great fan of his music, I know we will work together again.”

Navarro wrote, “John Beaudin, the Program Director and founder of Smooth Jazz Now, made it as easy as humanly possible for me to do the show but in the end it ended up taking nearly a full day to do it all. John really helped me to spice up the music on my show with all kinds of excellent Contemporary Jazz and he was very open to including my suggestions for the music as well. I am truly appreciative of John's support and guidance and his understanding that I now need to put my time into composing and performing and touring behind my brand new CD "Dreaming of Trains". More

REVIEW - Ken Navarro – Dreaming of Trains
Reviewed by Phil Traynor
http://www.philtraynor.com

March 15, 2010 - The new CD “Dreaming of Trains” by Ken Navarro (releasing nationally on March 16th 2010) is a dazzling display of multiple talents by the versatile guitarist. Navarro’s 19th release in a prolific and acclaimed career sparkles with innovation and delight at every turn.

What struck me almost immediately, and kept on striking me throughout the disc, is a fearless sense of movement. Navarro leaps from tone center to tone center with joyous abandon, changes meter with deft ebullience, changes tempo midstream, shuffles mode at will. What might seem to the casual listener to be an overly cerebral, self-absorbed tactic, it is really nothing of the sort; to me, it is a gleeful statement of personal ideas that invites you to follow along; and rewards your tenacity with dimension, harmonic complexity, and textured nuance.

The title cut is a tension-filled, ethereal piece, that demonstrates not only Navarro’s micrometered set of chops, but also showcases his deft arranging sense and atmospheric production sensibilities. I’m thrilled to hear such incredible attention to detail in the drum and percussion tracks; so often neglected on albums by solo instrument artists. The sound field is deep, wide, and focused, with a clarity that will startle you. Drummer Joel Rosenblatt (Manhattan Transfer, Spyro Gyra) is a true craftsman, and his work on this disc crackles with energy, and yet is settled, effortless, and compelling; while Navarro’s presentation of the percussion is upfront, deliberate, and meticulous. More

Smooth Jazz Now Showcases Ken Navarro’s New Album “Dreaming of Trains” with One Hour Special
March 10, 2010 – There is a lot of attention and excitement surrounding Ken Navarro’s new album “Dreaming of Trains.” In fact, Smooth Jazz Now will feature a one hour special to showcase the album today (Wednesday March 10) at 6PM (eastern). “Ken has been one of my favourite guitarists since almost his first album,” says Smooth Jazz Now Program Director John Beaudin, “ I think if we had more of this type of music the format would be stronger because what he does is exciting.” Navarro is also an announcer on Smooth Jazz Now hosting his own Afternoon Drive show each weekday from 3-6PM.
Navarro will also sit in with Beaudin during the show to explain his inspiration behind the popular new project. “Ken’s already had a number one song on our station with “The Stars, The Snow, The Fire. We put it on and it took off and it stayed at number one for four weeks,” say Beaudin.

The Ken Navarro Dreaming of Trains special will also air at 4PM(eastern) on Saturday March 13 and Sunday March 14. – By Kari Graham

Ken Navarro to Host “Drive Time” Each Weekday Afternoon on Smooth Jazz Now.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       

September 17, 2009 - Smooth Jazz Now.com is proud to announce the addition of popular Contemporary Jazz guitarist Ken Navarro to their on air line-up.
Navarro will serve as the new Afternoon Drive host starting September 28th, 2009.

The top charting & award winning guitarist and composer has recorded 18 albums and remains a top player in the genre. His latest CD ‘The Grace of Summer Light” gained overwhelming positive praise for its “creative expansion” and “unforgettable melodies.”

“Ken has been one of my favorite guitarists for so many years,” says John Beaudin, President and Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now.com, “I consider him a friend but I have to admit I’m a fan first.” Beaudin continues, “What Ken does musically is what’s most needed in the Smooth Jazz format, he is innovative in that Pat Metheny kind-of-way, where you never know what he’s going to do next and his beautiful haunting melodies are the best in the biz.”

"When John called to inquire if I would be interested in hosting the afternoon drive show on Smooth Jazz Now.com, I said ‘yes’ immediately,” says Navarro. “I have always been interested in the radio side of this music and the opportunity to work with a consummate radio pro like John and the top drawer staff at Smooth Jazz Now is a fantastic opportunity.” Navarro adds, “John is one of that rare breed in radio who has what we musicians call ‘ears.’  He recognizes and supports only the very best and I respect him immensely for that.” More

Ken Navarro Creates Intimate Listener Environment with “The Grace of Summer Light”
May 8, 2008 – I remember when Ken Navarro invited us into his studio on-line to catch a glimpse of his creative process with the last few albums. Navarro’s warm spirit always comes through his music and for the guitarist getting to know the listener also entails letting them into his creative process. Though the new album will not be officially released until June 17 it’s already available on his official website http://www.kennavarro.com/kennavarroTGOSLstream.htm . Smooth Jazz Now President, John Beaudin says, “Ken is one of the top guitarists in Smooth Jazz that makes me feel alive. He has not gone down the road of generic groove that’s almost killed the genre.” He adds, “The Grace of Summer Light” is another winner but don’t take my word for it, go to the website and take a listen.” Take a journey into ken Navarro’s world at http://www.kennavarro.com/kennavarroTGOSLstream.htm - by Kari Graham

Review - Ken Navarro – The Grace of Summer Light
June 12, 2008 – It’s been a busy week of listening to new music. From the new Coldplay album, 'Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends’ and ‘Flavours Of Entanglement’ by Alanis Morissette to Ken Navarro’s new journey ‘The Grace of Summer Light’ – easily 3 of my current favourite performers.

It’s a situation that brings me back to the seventies opening a new vinyl from Elton John. Sure, I loved him. He could do no wrong but I knew even as a teen that sooner or later he would reach a crossroad and inevitably take the wrong road or miss the road entirely. Interestingly, that nervous anticipation is not always a case of not trusting the artist but rather not trusting that stubbornness in us to accept that new journey from our hero’s.

Ken Navarro has since almost the beginning represented what I loved most about the early New Adult Contemporary (NAC) format – Life! His music has consistently stayed away from what has killed Smooth Jazz in some markets and that’s the generic mind numbing, drum machine infested, groove music. Navarro continually features separation or a breathe between the instruments.
Again on ‘The Grace of Summer Light’ he has remembered that more is not better.

From the opening track ‘Just Before Dawn (prelude)’ to the full version that closes the set, the feeling is the same. One is left with a gift of appreciation for the nuts and bolts, the ying and yang and there is a sense of connection in what he preaches – I guess we feel his peace. That’s not to say that ‘Grace’ is slow, some of it is, but this is a spirit driven, driving CD.
For most of us there is a sense of innocence that our life journey tries to bring us back to. I felt it in ‘Just Before Dawn.’ It’s almost impossible to miss.

‘Blue Skies, Bright Dreams’ a Metheny-esque open-space travelogue featuring hypnotic fretless bass from Tom Kennedy is one of the albums epic stick-em tunes. You’ll be humming the melody. I warn you. More

Ken Navarro Remembers his Favourite Christmas Gift
November 29, 2006 - It usually doesn't take much prodding to get Ken Navarro to talk about Christmas, "our family tradition at Christmas is that we have everyone over to our house on Christmas Eve and I make Cioppino" says the guitarist, "It's an Italian tomato based fish stew which is excellent, especially with fresh sour dough bread." Christmas is big stuff at the Navarro home and food is a huge part of the celebration the guitarist adds, "I also make either a banana cream pie or a key lime pie, all from scratch of course. The kids then each get to open one present at midnight." Navarro who's just released his new album 'The Meeting Place' says he became a guitarist at Christmas, "it was the best Christmas gift I ever received - my first guitar, a Gibson steel string acoustic on my 13th Christmas. My parents kept it completely a secret so I was seriously surprised and overwhelmed. It was great!"
Smooth Jazz Now asked Navarro how he felt about 'The Meeting Place' now that it was finally done, "The new CD took me to a place where all the fire and energy I wanted to put into a studio recording came out coupled with my strong sense of the value of warm, memorable melodies.? This is my most mature and ambitious work and it feels so good to be this proud of the final result." Every album says something about the artist so we asked the guitarist what 'The Meeting Place' had to say about him, "The new CD says if you thought I had said everything I had to say in my first 16 CDs, you're in for a very nice surprise and an exciting journey". - by John Beaudin

Smooth Jazz and Cool Cars
June 8, 2005 - Everyone knows cool cars and smooth jazz go hand in hand. At least they will every Thursday from June 30th - August 4th, at the Walter Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Michigan during the 2005 Cool Cars and Smooth Jazz Concert Series. Attendees will be allowed to take a spin in a 2005 Chrysler, Jeep, or Dodge vehicle before each evening show and the new Dodge Charger will also be spotlighted in a special exhibition showcasing eight decades of Dodge vehicles. The free series will feature Smooth Jazz stars Spryo Gyra, Chuck Mangione, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Alexander Zonjic, Ken Navarro, and Michael Brock among others. - by Cheryl Philips

Ken Navarro Lets You In On The Process
September 22, 2004 - Ken Navarro may be on to something here. The guitarist wants you, the fan to be included in the record making process. His CD in the making "Love Coloured Soul" can be experienced as it is being recorded and mixed and the album art is being created. Available now at www.kennavarro.com is a free video download summarizing the album's process with updates including changing array of samples ranging from audio interviews with Navarro and the other musicians. "Love Coloured Soul" will be released on January 11, 2005 on Navarro's own Positive Music label but on December 1 fans will have the opportunity to purchase one of three special packages of the album. Each package will be tailored to appeal to different types of smooth jazz fans and will include full-length audio, photo albums, video movies and PDF graphics in addition to the finished CD itself. The store will be coming online in early October as part of http://www.kennavarro.com.

Ken Navarro Says Kim Waters Helped His Blood Pressure
May 25, 2004 - Ken Navarro says he's run into a few divas in his time, "I've recorded guys who no one has heard of who are very good players but they can't get comfortable with anything in the studio," says the guitarist. "The headphones, the carpet on the floor, the amount of reverb in the headphones everything bothers them and I feel like saying to them Eric Marienthal comes in here and he just plays." Navarro says saxophonist Kim Waters though took low maintenance to a whole new level, "Kim couldn't be more relaxed and comfortable with himself and with me and the room he was in. I tend to be more of a type 'A' personality and it's made me realize that you end up in the same place at the end. So it's better to do it like Kim and keep your blood pressure low. Kim Waters appeared on Navarro's 2002 album 'Slow Dance.' Both are on Shanachie Records. Read our interview with both Ken Navarro and Kim Waters.

Ken Navarro's Long Distance Collaboration
April 6, 2004 - We certainly know how technology has made the recording world a lot easier for most artists. Ken Navarro (left) says working with David Mann was a pleasurable experience but this was a different type of relationship, "the interesting part was I never met him during this recording process and we barely talked on the phone," says Navarro laughing. The two tweaked their music via the internet piece by piece or rather email by email. Navarro told Smooth Jazz Now he finally did meet Mann though, "I think he was playing with Chieli Minucci and that's how we finally met. I came up to him and said David this is what you look like!" Mann has had a big hand in shaping the current Smooth Jazz sound as a songwriter, saxophonist and producer. He has worked with hundred's of acts including Alfonzo Blackwell, Michael Bolton, Jonathan Butler, Chuck Loeb and Tower of Power. Mann is heavily showcased on the new Special EFX album "Party." Read our updated interview with Ken Navarro.

Ken Navarro Caught the Love Bug Early
March 10, 2004 - To say that Ken Navarro and wife Kristin go back a long way doesn't quite cut it. "We actually met when we were in eighth grade," says Navarro proudly. "I remember when she walked in to my grade eight geography class." The guitarist says he didn't talk to her for a year and a half but the two finally did get together. "I have a picture of us in front of a Christmas tree in ninth grade." After graduation the two were separated with Navarro's schooling in Wisconsin and Kristin in Boston. Navarro say's it was a difficult time, "We thought if we were going to do this we should at least live in the same place. So we got married and I dragged her back to Wisconsin with me. She didn't get the better end of that deal." Navarro has just released a new single called "In the Sky Today" which was the first song that he wrote for the album "..." It was one of those great songs that materialized without me laboring over it," laughs Navarro. "I went down to a beach community to write. I did it the old fashioned way. I brought a pad of paper and one of my old guitars and I was all by myself for three days, it just came out." It's also one of three tunes featuring David Mann who has had many number one hits on Smooth Jazz radio and is prominently featured on the latest Special EFX CD "Party

Ken Navarro Excited about Producing New Smooth Jazz Saxophonist
February 11, 2004 - You may not know the name Eric Darius now but that could all change in a few months. After producing the young saxophonist's début album, Guitarist Ken Navarro (left) is very excited. "Higher Octave/Narada Records signed Eric to an extended recording contract," says Navarro, "It is so difficult for a new artist to get signed by a label in Smooth Jazz these days." Navarro told us he's, "very happy and proud" that he could help out. Darius' album will be released in the spring; Navarro is currently in the studio working on radio edits for the first two singles. In other Ken Navarro news, radio stations should expect the latest single from his Shanachie album "All the Way" on February 24th. Navarro says, "The tune 'In The Sky Today' was the first song I wrote for the CD. I am really happy that the record label picked this song for the next single - it's a special one to me. I co-produced the song with David Mann." Look for our interview with Ken Navarro coming next month on Smooth Jazz Now.